Staying in

This week I am mostly making mid-C17th stays. They aren't accurate re-creation stays, because I am cheating and machine-sewing them. The shape and pattern are as accurate as I can make them, and the linen is unbleached 24-count with rigid steel 'bones' down the centre-front but the boning is mostly Rigilene and the thread is polyester.
Part 17th century and part 21st century.

Compromising stays, so to speak...


Above is the card template, made from Drea Leed's Custom Corset Pattern Generator. It seems pretty good so far although too broad across the top so the back lacing-edges meet; I'll need to lop some off and re-do the boning-lines once I've cut the lacing-edges.


Here, above, is the bottom left edge; at the left of the picture is the centre-front of the stays, and you can see in the main part of the picture the three tabs, as yet uncut; there will be a line of boning from top edge to bottom edge at each side of the tabs, keeping the stays from digging in at the waist. Apparently.

Here are the stays half-made. Centre-front at left, lacing-edge (ie centre-back) at right, uncut tabs at bottom.

THH